Things you wish your schedulers would NEVER DO.

[rev ronin]

I'm sure we've had one of these before, but I think we can all use some time to vent about something completely unrelated to Covid-19 vaccine refusal:

What has happened to you, once or multiple times, that you wish your scheduler would never do to you?

I mean, it's all going to be variants of about six things, but go ahead and post yours.  Here's mine:

Schedule an interpreted patient as the last patient of the day.

[bobuddy]

1)  schedule a "check up".   What does this mean?  Is this a follow up?  A physical?    

2) schedule a deaf patient /non english speaking patient without an interpreter in a 10 minute slot - for anything

3) allow a patient to schedule an appointment that does not want to tell the receptionist WHY they need to be seen - "Its private".   What does that mean?   

4) Don't tell me a patient with a cough should be a quick 10 minute appointment - We have this conversation on a monthly basis it seems.   I ask the office manager if she can give me the differential diagnosis of a "cough" complaint.    The last "quick 10 minute cough" patient happened to be in afib with a rapid rate that had to have EMS called. 

So many........   

[Reality Check 2]

Approx TWENTY people can put pts on my schedule. 
That in itself is a giant PIA.

Today, a phone appt - for SOB and reduced exercise tolerance…… SUPER, how about that 02 sat, EKG, actual exam……

I agree that anything called Follow Up is nebulous - could be herpes, CHF, recent splenectomy - who knows. Might actually need hospital records - from out of state….

Some schedulers are blunt and obvious…. “Pt wants an oxygen tank for energy”….. at least I know going in...

 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Reality Check 2

[Cideous]

Keep scheduling me for the night shift.

 

 

We're not open at night...

[mgriffiths]

10 hours ago, bobuddy said:

 2) schedule a deaf patient /non english speaking patient without an interpreter in a 10 minute slot - for anything

3) allow a patient to schedule an appointment that does not want to tell the receptionist WHY they need to be seen - "Its private".   What does that mean?   

Yeah...#2 I won't see the patient.  If we don't have an interpreter they are required to be rescheduled.  I can't see them because it's against the law (or ethics...which in practice isn't all that different).  A family member cannot interpret...don't know how many times I've had to explain that one, and just using paper or some other manual form doesn't cut it.  Of course on top of this it is our hospital policy that we must have a certified interpreter present...so even if I was ok with manual I would be putting my job in jeopardy by violating hospital policy.  Really pisses me off when it makes me look like the "bad guy" when in reality it's our dumb front desk girls.  They have zero capability of critical thinking (or are unwilling to think critically), just following instructions like a drone and if those instructions have any room for interpretation they almost always do it wrong.  It doesn't matter how many times it is discussed with them. 

#3: being in ortho doesn't happen to me anymore, but thankfully my manager when I was in FM supported me in banning this.

 

For me...the worst is scheduling "second opinion" patients without checking with me.  Just yesterday I had a patient who had a hand flexor tendon repair two weeks out from her surgery come to me for a "second opinion."  Really, she just didn't want to make the 100+ mile drive back to see her hand surgeon.  Sorry...not accepting that.  For one, I work in general orthopedics, so we would have been referring that out to hand surgery anyway.  Zero reason for that ever to have been scheduled with me.  Of course I walked into the appointment not knowing that she was only two weeks out...so I've now seen her which is INCREDIBLY frustrating.  Having a meeting with my manager today about it.  On top of that...my surgeon does not want to see any kids with supracondylar fractures.  I don't know the exact reason for this, but by proxy I'm not going to see them either.  For whatever reason every few weeks I will walk in and have 2-3 on my schedule.  It is always a nightmare sending off a stat referral to peds ortho and contacting the patient's parents to inform them.  Unfortunately I can't just have the front desk do it because none of the peds ortho groups will accept the patient without talking with me!

A close second is when I clearly state that a patient needs a 30 minute appointment (I do 15 minute appointments usually) and their follow up is scheduled as only 15 minutes again.  Just grinds my gears...

[thinkertdm]

In the VA we have “huddling”, which I had never heard of until I got there. Very effective if you have a great team.  Totally antithetical to the civilian world, but I digress.

Anyways, get the clerk to print up (I like the day one week from today), gives it to the lpn, who goes over it, patient by patient, noting when they were last in, last labs, last colonoscopy and other preventative exams.  If they are coming in for post hospital follow up, makes sure records are in; after a specialist, records are in.  The lpn can also call, reminds patient of visit, see what concerns they have, and we can prep for that.

then each day, as a team we review either the next day or next few days.  Do we have a troubled patient coming in?  Can make sure the clerks and/or security is aware.  Someone known for no shows?  Make sure we reach out to them.  I can also make corrections- someone known to us for referral to eye clinic, cane, podiatrist or something else I don’t do- can have the rn call and tell them how to access those services in the VA rather than use up a valuable time slot.  
 

like I said, if you have a good team, works like a dream.  Poor team, then it’s a nightmare.

[iconic]

I worked at a place where front desk would start to b*** and complain if I were to start running 5 mins late..
They could also easily squeeze an emergency into an empty slot without letting me know, expecting me to be constantly checking the schedule. Smh.
Scheduling patients as phone calls who are completely inappropriate for a phone consult. Interrupting me to change that status of the patient (not like they do anything about it). I could go on and on. Worst of all I couldn't tell them to do things any different as it was all coming from upper management hours away from the office

Edited May 11, 2021 by iconic

[TDIowa]

1. Schedule a new patient as the last patient of the day. My experience is that the day never ends well. They always need x-rays or blood work. Then come in the next day and get b****** at for overtime for myself and the staff that I make stay.

2. Schedule a "new" patient without records.

[Arthropathy]

When OR days get cancelled and they open up my clinic and schedule for patient at 8am and the second at 945. Even worse if the pattern repeats in the afternoon (2pm followed by a 345)

[Pac30]

Schedule me. 

[sas5814]

schedule procedures on patients I have never seen....in 15 minute slots. "Lipoma removal" who made the diagnosis?

Schedule new patients last slot before lunch and last slot of the day....in 15 minute slots.

Refer to me as "just a PA" when patient asks if they are seeing a physician

Tells a patient I'll be glad to order something (test, shot, med)

[ventana]

1) schedule a patient I have never seen before (nor has the practice) in ANYTHING but a complete slot

2) starting adding new patients anywhere there is an opening - just because they can (I limit # of new patients in a day)

3) "just add on one more"  yeah right, you stay late for hours to finish charts.....

4) not ask when scheduling over the set number of patients in a day

5) book someone else patient on my schedule "because there was an opening" for a Chronic issue - really just set them up with their PCP

6) end of day add on - nope not happening

 

 

Luckily I am now in a place where just about none of that happens - I control my schedule, they ask....  #2 still occurs but working on that....

[Reality Check 2]

Patients who serial no show keep getting primo face to face spots on my schedule…. Can’t fire VA pts. 

With our limited face to face still - schedulers will put ANYTHING on F2F - tomorrow - “bump on head” - asking for nurse triage now - this could be a pimple, his mastoid that he just discovered, etc. Zero common sense or triage thoughts - meanwhile, we have much more complex folks who cannot get in to be seen.

I think my next favorite is - “pt wants to discuss a medication” - help me out here - did he see the commercial at 3 am that says “ask your health care provider if Repatha is right for you”?

It’s late - getting punchy…..

[thinkertdm]

I kind of think the schedulers are the most important team members, but not treated as such.  I’m a small airport in the south, and I’ve got a thousand planes circling, some big, some small; the air traffic controller needs to put the right plane on the right tarmac at the right time.  They don’t need to know how to fly the plane; just how to appropriately allocate resources so everyone lands safely AND I don’t go crazy.  
A big plane can’t fit on a small runway; a little plane puts a big runway in use when it may be needed elsewhere.  Some planes come in needing extra equipment; when they land, it’s waiting.  Some need to be diverted to another airport.  
When the depart, they need instructions on where to go; if they are leaving in an ambulance, the ems needs to directed and the appropriate paperwork needs to be sent with the patient.  
 

All without disrupting the flow and with a smile.  Otherwise, you get this guy landing planes:

 

[sas5814]

34 minutes ago, thinkertdm said:

I kind of think the schedulers are the most important team members, but not treated as such.  I’m a small airport in the south, and I’ve got a thousand planes circling, some big, some small; the air traffic controller needs to put the right plane on the right tarmac at the right time.  They don’t need to know how to fly the plane; just how to appropriately allocate resources so everyone lands safely AND I don’t go crazy.  
A big plane can’t fit on a small runway; a little plane puts a big runway in use when it may be needed elsewhere.  Some planes come in needing extra equipment; when they land, it’s waiting.  Some need to be diverted to another airport.  
When the depart, they need instructions on where to go; if they are leaving in an ambulance, the ems needs to directed and the appropriate paperwork needs to be sent with the patient.  
 

All without disrupting the flow and with a smile.  Otherwise, you get this guy landing planes:

 

"All planes are cleared to land now!" 

[ShakaHoo]

Scheduling the morning lightly, and loading the schedule at the end of the day. It seems every patient wants “the latest appointment possible.”

Scheduling people who need X-rays at the end of the day - knowing it takes 2 hours to get an official read from radiology. 
 

Scheduling a patient who has seen several other clinicians in our office over many years... and suddenly today... they are going to see me???

Putting patients through to my direct voicemail. 
 

texting or calling me on my scheduled days off - with patient questions. (There are other people working who can answer that... it’s my day off)

Edited May 15, 2021 by ShakaHoo

[ventana]

37 minutes ago, ShakaHoo said:

 

texting or calling me on my scheduled days off - with patient questions. (There are other people working who can answer that... it’s my day off)

Finally just had enough of this.  I reply “it is my day off please address to someone there”. Do this once or twice.   Then I stop answering